Caribbean Compass Sailing Magazine

— Continued from previous page
Friday, November 21st
The Alpha-Monocerotids meteor shower will reach its peak. The source of the
shower is the Canis Minor constellation. Canis Minor can be found rising in the
east around 2200. The meteor quantity is highly variable. So, this year’s number
of meteors remains to be seen. The greatest volume of meteors present
appears to be in ten-year intervals. That interval falls in 2015. Next year’s
shower could bring over 100 meteors per hour.
Saturday, November 22nd
The New Moon moment is at 0833. Because the Sun and Moon are in line,
look for a higher low tide today.
Tuesday, November 25th
The crescent Moon pairs up with red planet Mars at dusk in the western sky.
Both will be near Sagittarius. The ERBS satellite will pass in front of the Moon
at 1930. NASA’s Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) was designed to investigate
how energy from the Sun is absorbed and re-radiated by the Earth.
Sunday, November 30th
The Sun takes its place in the constellation Ophiuchus. Poor Ophiuchus is
destined to be left out of the Zodiac. The Sun will remain there from November
30th to December 18th.
Wednesday, December 3rd
NASA has predicted that the orbit of the International Space Station will pass
near the Moon on December 3rd at 1808 hours, plus or minus 11 minutes. A
second prediction from NASA is for the International Space Station to pass near
Mars on Saturday, December 6th. That is supposed to occur at 1716. For the
greatest accuracy, most predictions posted are for no more than ten days out.
These predictions were dated September 26th.
Check http://spotthestation.nasa.gov.
Monday, December 8th
Look for the Moon to be in Gemini, the radiant of the Geminid meteors. Today
marks the beginning of the shower activity.
Tuesday, December 9th
The Puppid–Velid meteor shower will reach its maximum rate of activity. The
meteors radiate from the poop deck (Puppis) and the sail (Vela) on the great ship
constellation Argo Navis. Look for 15 meteors an hour to pass overhead. The
meteors will be traveling at 82,766 mph (133,200 km/h).
Sunday, December 14th
Tonight marks the maximum shower activity for the Geminid meteor shower.
The number of meteors expected to be visible from a dark location could be
around 100 per hour. Check Figure 2 for the source of the shooting stars. The
Geminids are often bright and intensely colored. Take advantage of the early
show because the meteors may start to be visible at 1900. The Moon at 50
percent illumination won’t rise until 0032 on December 15th.
Figure 2: X marks the source of the Geminid meteor shower at 1900 on
December 14th
Figure 3: The probe from the Rosetta spacecraft will set down on the plus sign
Figure 4: Current coral bleaching hotspots
In The News
The asteroid capture spacecraft and probes that orbit or land on asteroids will
advance the knowledge base of these objects. For space exploration, the water
found on asteroids can be used as fuel. It is also estimated that the mineral
wealth on the asteroids between Mars and Jupiter is valued at over 120 million
in US Dollars for every person on Earth. Of course if that materialized, a loaf of
bread would probably cost 120 thousand dollars. Rosetta is orbiting and the
lander Philae was scheduled to touch down on comet 67P/Churyumov–
Gerasimenko on November 12th. See the landing spot on Figure 3.
In more news from space and to Earth, satellites and collaborations between
Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), European Organization for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), NASA, NOAA and
approximately 40 research institutes study coral bleaching. Their observations
have concluded that areas of the Caribbean are currently under a coral bleaching
warning. Reef mortality is predicted south of Grenada to the coast of South
America. Satellites help determine when there is an increase in ocean temperatures
and acid levels. The coral bleaching is due in part to these increases.
That will have a negative impact on the habitat and population levels of fish
and shellfish.
* All times are given as Atlantic Standard Time (AST) unless otherwise noted.
The times are based on the viewing position in Grenada and may vary by only a
few minutes in different Caribbean locations.
Jim Ulik is a photographer and cruiser currently based in Grenada.
FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 ESA / ROSETTA / MPS FOR OSIRIS TEAM FIGURE 4
NOAA / NESDIS
NOVEMBER 2014 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 37